Murdoch: We made big mistakes with MySpace
NewsCorp has made some “big mistakes” with MySpace, but is back on track, boss Rupert Murdoch claimed today.
In a briefing on the company’s improving financial results, Murdoch said: “We’ve got to admit that over the last two or three years I think we’ve made some big mistakes, but we’ve got a fine new management now.”
Co-presidents Mike Jones and Jason Hirshhorn took the reins earleir this year after Owen Van Natta was ousted.
Jones was recently interviewed by Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes. During the interview he said:
“The core value that MySpace experienced at the beginning got a little bit watered down through additional strategy that got piled on top of MySpace early on.”
He said the site’s key role now is in discovery – helping users find new things that may interest them, whether music, entertainment or friends.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
Linkedin
They are still making mistakes with myspace
User ID not verified.
I coach kid’s soccer. One of them said to his mate “You’re deader than myspace” when chasing him. Awesome.
User ID not verified.
If they think they are making myspace better now, might want to check that statement. It looks worse now, then even when Owen Van Natta was driving it into the ground.
Like, just the music area of the site… It’s PINK… WTH… PINK! But I can’t find any bands I am looking for either. Rap and Emo that the huge labels are pushing, but that’s about it… I got to go to other sites to search for music, and then if I want to see their myspace, click one of the links…
Overall though, the site looks and feels like camel poop nowadays. Log in, check mail, nope, nada… log out and come back in a few weeks. Repeat process, go back to Facebook, where it’s clean.
User ID not verified.
Sadly, it is still a hideous site. I just went there. It looks like an old Microsoft site. It’s ugly and it looks far too ad-heavy on the front. There is too much stuff at the top as well: compare it to the much cleaner, but still much more content-rich design of Facebook.
Pictures/photos are also too big. Particularly for an era where device-screens are actually becoming smaller. More people will be accessing MySpace with iPads and laptops in future than vast desktop displays.
Let us not even mention the unremitting hideousness of most people’s user pages and “band pages”.
User ID not verified.
The web is already social. People use Facebook religiously.
I’m curious to see how MySpace will try and re-niche itself considering the way Facebook has become so ingrained in daily lives of people.
In my opinion, it would make sense for MySpace to simply latch on to the position of being positioned as the platform for performing artists (comedians, musicians, actors, etc.). Facebook doesn’t currently yield itself to such a platform very well, and MySpace already has an element of that positioning. If they latched on to it, I think they would become a major player again in the social media realm.
User ID not verified.
When the bands bail on myspace, which they will as it’s not bringing them anything new, myspace will be another web dead zone
User ID not verified.
The site has 100 million + users globally and around 2 million in AU alone… Writing off one of the biggest sites in the world because they haven’t matched Facebook’s unprecedented growth (they’re rivaling Google!) is naive in the extreme.
Murdoch will do what he can to make sure myspace survives and thrives no doubt about it.
User ID not verified.
Adding insult to injury, one of the Facebook founders talking about how they should not have won. Talking about systematic mismanagement at myspace
http://www.fastcompany.com/vid.....newsletter
User ID not verified.
I love how you reference yourself in the third person, Tim…..
“Mumbrella editor, Tim Burrowes, interveiwed… ” very nice.
User ID not verified.
>I love how you reference yourself in the third person, Tim…..
This is in the News section not the Opinion, so that would be the appropriate format.
User ID not verified.
Hi Tom,
As anon1 poitns out, our style is that in the opinion section we byline our opinion pieces, and write in the first person.
And we generally follow the usual news convention of writing news items in the third person.
As well as myself, Mumbrella’s deputy editor Camille Alarcon also writes for this section along with, occasionally, Georgina Pearson.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
I doubt theres any way back with Myspace.. If they do come up with some new fandango product/technology (which i doubt), New’s best option is to launch it under a new brand ala twitter.. the “myspace” brand is gone..
User ID not verified.
I agree with Michael Carwile, to re launch as a place for artists (like the Tripple J unearthed site does currently). Its pretty much the only reason to bother with MySpace.
Facebook is not playing in this space, there are a few smaller or local sites doing this well but MySpace are in a position to own it but it would require an entire re build, the site looks like a late ninetiess animated gif nightmare built in front page.
They could really dominate with alll that music and video content on there for people to view and them to make advertising revenue from. If they dont they really dotn have a clue.. They cant possiby think that trying to beat Facebook in direct competition is an option.
If it were a race they would have been lapped…twice.
User ID not verified.
As one of the business’s first local employees I can tell you that many of the criticisms leveled against MySpace here are outdated or misinformed. I’m under no illusions that mistakes have been made in the past and that we have perception issues on both a consumer and industry level that we are working to address.
Whilst I could happily address each of these issues individually here, I’d encourage you to contact me at nlove@myspace-inc.com and arrange a chat face-to-face to clarify some of the points raised. I’d be more than happy to discuss these issues with you in greater depth and explain our direction.
We are in a very strong position as a business. We have 100 million active users worldwide, 2 million users in Australia and a very talented new senior executive team that has us laser-focused on developing product enhancements, programs and partnerships that capitalise on our core strengths. Over the coming months we’ll be rolling out some major changes that will continue to improve the user experience and continue our push into being the place to discover and be discovered, addressing many of the criticisms leveled above.
I’m very proud of what we have achieved as a business, moreover I’m excited about the next phase of MySpace’s evolution and growth.
Nick Love, Managing Director
MySpace & IGN Entertainment, Australasia
User ID not verified.
Thanks for that, Nick.
And if anyone has the time, although the sound quality is a bit iffy (it wasn’t originally intended for this use), do watch the video. Mike Jones gives a pretty sensible view on where MySpace is going.
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
I don’t know about OS – but here in Aus I reckon their marketing team has alot to answer for. They totally lost opportunities here to align tightly (early) with local indie media & players to stay as the brand on the edge and leverage niche loyalty. Taking that territory would have helped them weather the competition as things move in cycles – but only back to you if you’re on the right arc. FB is the one now – but in time people will step away from it also as more nans come on board.
Instead of diffusing the percieved naffness of the Murdoch buyout – by acting small via tight relationships, grass roots events and alignments – the marketing team further alienated the brand by being lazy in that regard – and were left floundering with no core support. It’s not about the position of the company, the $ in the bank etc etc – it’s on a way more grassroots level than that. Does anyone go “I’m going to use MS instead of FB” because of those reasons? Of course not – it’s brand perception, community support & the user experience.
If I can rant a little more (for what it’s worth) MySpace has a way more ‘indie’ low brow vibe than Facebook – from it’s design to it’s love of indie bands/artists/talent from that scene etc etc. That is an opportunity for them – not a challenge. They should run with it. Also – the way Myspace setup their friend system is also more in step with struggling promoters/artists/bands etc than Facebook – (the cool set who keep things cool in return). Although FB is simpler in design, they limit friends to 5,000 and are very narcy when it comes to self-promotion. Their alternative fan/like sites overcome the quantity limitiation but offer very little real connectivity between the talent & it’s fan base. Myspace have a real advantage in that regard and I reckon they are missing the boat on that also. They could totally take that territory and get the flow on support it would generate.
User ID not verified.
Nick: here’s one thing you need to do. You need to start thinking about how to attract and lure away the older user group who are starting to tire of Facebook. I don’t mean geriatrics, I mean over 25s.
There’s no point going youth youth youth because they are the most fickle and sensitive market, and once you have lost your cool it’s going to take twenty years to get it back (look at Rick Astley). My sense is that you’ve lost it. You’re the Britney Spears, not the Justin Bieber.
Plus youth grows up. There are plenty of once-keen Facebookers looking for a less cluttered, more focused, more mature environment. Many are flocking to LinkedIn – according to execs there, and the experience of many people here I imagine. Certainly mine.
Currently there’s nothing that attracts me, as a “no-longer-teen”, to MySpace. Nothing. I’m not suggesting you grannify and corporatise the site, but the people in this forum, who I would guess would be 25-45, maybe 55, clearly aren’t impressed with it as it currently stands. Yet they could be a loyal and lucrative demographic for you.
User ID not verified.
Murdoch “We made big mistakes with MySpace”
– Correct Rupert, News Ltd bought it…
User ID not verified.
I would have to disagree with you on Myspace’s stance toward “local indie media”. As Editor-in-Chief of a publication that would fall into such a category, we have worked closely with Myspace on a number of entertainment/music events that have turned into great content for us.
And as far as eschewing “grass roots events” what would you call Myspace’s Secret Show series? I do however, agree with you in that Myspace’s support of indie artists is an opportunity not a challenge.
User ID not verified.
@Byespace?
As someone from an indie label (Shock) working closely and frequently with MySpace on their Secret Shows program, I think that they do understand their brand strengths, and run compelling programs that cater to these indie music /cultural niche markets.
In the last 3 months, we’ve had 2 major international artists involved with their Secret Show program, both of which were unmitigated successes from a fan and promotional perceptive.
We’ve always had a very solid relationship with MySpace and I’m excited to continue working with them on their ever-evolving music concepts.
User ID not verified.
Perhaps its easier for these guys to open up and declare what direction Myspace and FIM more importantly are trying to take in Australia. I don’t want to meat one on one and hear your spin, I gave you time at your recent event and it was not compelling.
My agency and its advertisers have tired of your product My brands do not care for your overseas eyeballs nor your 2 million users of which only a small base are actually engaged and not just checking their messages monthly…… interactions on Myspace were never that great to start with and after your peak 2 years ago they just got worse.
I for one happily compare your active audience to that of a teen magazine readership or an after dinner radio slot… hardly the direction of a media powerhouse.
User ID not verified.
Myspace was like my first boyfriend from the school rugby team… you were hot then but now your just a past memory of a good time… sorry but I moved on babe !
User ID not verified.